Saipan, Tinian and Rota under Typhoon Condition III;

Saipan, Tinian, and Rota are all placed under Typhoon Condition III as Tropical Storm Chan-Hom is forecasted to move closer to the Marianas during the weekend.

As early as 4pm yesterday, the condition setting was declared by Gov. Eloy S. Inos because of the anticipated threat of the tropical storm. Under the said conditions, the storm is likely to be felt within 48 hours.

According to CNMI Homeland Security and Emergency Management deputy special assistant Gerald Deleon Guerrero, the islands will likely be upgraded to Typhoon Condition II today, and may be further upgraded to Condition I as early as this evening.

Deleon Guerrero said they are looking at fully activating the Emergency Operations Center this morning and have the Public School System come in and assign shelters.

Shelters will open once an area is placed under condition II.

Like Typhoon Dolphin

According to Deleon Guerrero, Chan-Hom is looking like Typhoon Dolphin, which badly hit Rota and Guam last May.

“This storm is pretty much almost the same as the previous one, Typhoon Dolphin. With its projection right now, it’s going right in between Guam and Rota,” Deleon Guerrero told Saipan Tribune.

Disintegrating weather of destructive winds and strong rains is expected from early to mid-morning tomorrow for Rota and tomorrow evening for Tinian and Saipan.

“The closest point of approach to the Marianas, specifically for Rota will be at Sunday right after midnight, around 1am. And for Saipan and Tinian, early Sunday at 4am,” Deleon Guerrero said.

The tropical storm is also expected to intensify as it moves closer to the CNMI and was expected to become a typhoon this morning.

At 7pm yesterday, the center of the tropical storm was located at 420 miles southeast of Saipan.

It was moving west-southwest at 23 miles per hour and was expected to continue westward through today.

Maximum sustained winds remain at 65 mph and tropical storm winds extend outward up to 85 miles from the center.

Precautionary measures

Residents are advised to maintain necessary precautionary measures for gusty strong winds and heavy rain showers associated with the tropical storm.

HSEM reminds them to secure all loose objects around the house that needs to be strapped down or removed and secured to prevent them from being picked up and propelled by the strong winds.

Rota, which is still recovering from Dolphin’s effects, is once again preparing for another possible devastation.

“We are on top of Rota, we just had a conversation with the mayor and they are on top of this too,” Deleon Guerrero said.